Welcome to the last post for this themes Medieval Monday and Merry Christmas. Because we’re ending our hop with my blog, I’m bending the snippet rule and bit and give you a whole excerpt from To Follow My Heart: The Knights of Berwyck: A Quest Through Time, Book Three. I hope Santa is good to everyone this year. Be sure to read to the end and leave me a comment to be in the running for an eBook of my novel. Happy reading and enjoy, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

Fletcher reached for a bowl and brought it forward for her inspection. He generally did not care for them, since they tended to be overcooked and eaten by the serfs. She crinkled her nose and it took everything on his part not to laugh. He did not wish to cause her insult. “Perchance, we must needs find you something else. What else could we tempt you with to please your palate?”

“Salad?”

Now it was his turn to be confused. He in no way knew what she was talking about. “My lady?”

“You know… greens… leafy food?” she asked before getting a crestfallen expression on her face as though all of Christendom thought her a fool. He continued to look at her, wondering if the bump on her head had addled her wits.

Afore he could respond, a servant came and brought another platter to place in front of Katherine. Said lady took some of what had been offered and motioned for the dish to be passed down the table. Jenna’s eyes lit up at what she espied, although Fletcher thought there was not much to be said for what should in truth be sent to the stables for his horse.

“You see,” she exclaimed in delight, “salad. Thanks, Katie!” She took a bite and sighed with such pleasure that Fletcher had to grin. She apparently saw him watching her and held the plate towards him. “I’m sorry, how rude of me. Would you like some?”

His hands automatically came up almost in horror. “Nay, I shall refrain, my lady.”

Jenna shrugged her shoulders. “More for me and Katie it seems,” she declared, passing the platter back towards Katherine.

He was not alone in his assessment of those leafy greensbeing good for one’s stomach, for even Riordan appeared appalled when he handed the platter to his wife. Katherine let out a muffled laugh, holding out her utensil to her husband. “You don’t know what you’re missing, hon, until you try it,” Katherine said, teasing him. “Come on, take a bite!”

“Nay, my love, I must decline, but, by all means, enjoy,” Riorden replied, shutting his mouth in a firm line whilst his wife moved the offending greens in front of him.

Feeling full, Fletcher at last sat back in his chair as the evening meal concluded and serfs began to busily clean the hall. The tables, which had been filled with garrison knights, had emptied of men ’til but a few remained in the hall. Dristan called to those at the high table to join him in his solar, allowing Fletcher to once more escort Jenna across the room and up the stairs. She halted once they reached only the second landing.

“Can we take a breather for a second? My head seems to be spinning,” Jenna asked with hopeful eyes.

“Aye, of course we can. You must needs take all the time you require,” Fletcher answered and watched as the rest of the party continued their climb to the next level of the keep.

“I’m sorry to be such a bother. You don’t need to stay. I can find my way in a few minutes, after I rest.”

“I will not hear of it, my lady. I must say your speech is passing strange and is sometimes hard for me to follow,” Fletcher said, holding her elbow to steady her.

Jenna looked up at him, searching his face. “And yours is very formal. Nobody speaks like that where I come from. It’s a shame really. I miss the days of old when…”

She paused. Her brows furrowed as though she were trying to remember something. “Is something amiss, Lady Jenna?”

“That’s just it… I was on the beach, wishing for the bygone days, and… well… now… here I am. It’s all very confusing,” she answered and put a shaking hand up to her forehead. “I really am here in the past, aren’t I?”

A smile lit his face. “From my perspective, you are in the present, and apparently Timefeels you need to be here.”

“Time… it seems too farfetched to be believed. I’ll pinch myself later because I’m sure I’m dreaming this whole damn thing.”

They continued their climb ’til they reached the floor housing his bed chamber, or rather hers, since she had taken up residence there. Somehow, he liked the idea of her resting in his bed, although where those thoughts came from he was not sure. He barely knew the woman.

“But you should get to know her…” Rolf’s voice came inside his head, giving him pause to search the corridor in front of them. There was no sign of the pesky ghost in order for Fletcher to berate him to mind his own business. Apparently, Rolf could also read the disturbing thoughts going on inside his head, since Fletcher now heard him laughing.

He witnessed Jenna sway, but he swore he could see a vague impression of a ghostly figure giving her a slight push in his direction. She stumbled forward, and Fletcher quickly pulled her to him. Startled, a gasp escaped her lips. Jenna placed her hands upon his chest and stared at him with wide eyes. Tingling sensations pulsed beneath his tunic where her palms were firmly resting on his torso. He knew he should let go of her, but instead, his own hands automatically went to her waist and stayed there. She did not move, not even one inch, and he watched her chest rise and fall almost as if she, too, was attempting to catch her breath. He knew there was no longer air in his own lungs. It had all but left him with her nearness.

To Follow My Heart:
The Knights of Berwyck, A Quest Through Time (Book 3)

Blurb:

Love is a leap. Sometimes you need to jump…

After a gut wrenching break up with her fiancé, Jenna Sinclair heads to the coast to do a little soul searching. To say everything is subject to change is putting it mildly. Her world is not only turned upside down, but pretty much torn asunder when she is pulled through a time gate on the beach beneath the Cliff House and transported more than eight hundred years into the past.

Fletcher Monroe, captain of the garrison knights at Berwyck Castle, has wasted too much time pining for a woman who will never be his. When he finally decides to move on with his life and focus on his duties, he is suddenly confronted with a woman who magically appears at his feet. This could either be the best thing that has ever happened to him or another cursed event in a string of many. He soon finds he is wildly attracted to her, but she’s scared to death of him ─ not a very encouraging beginning.

From the shores of California to twelfth century England and back again, Jenna and Fletcher must find a way to reconcile their two different worlds before Time forever tears them apart.

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Be sure to leave a comment below for a chance to win an eCopy of To Follow My Heart, The Knights of Berwyck, A Quest Through Time (Book 3).A winner will be randomly selected during the next week and announced Medieval Monday, December 31^st.

Thanks to everyone who participated!

Catch last week’s excerpt here: http://barbarabettis.blogspot.co.uk